FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Following is a statement by Hunter Rawlings, President of the Association of American Universities, on the Bipartisan Budget Act.
The Bipartisan Budget Act will provide much needed relief from the sequester-level discretionary spending caps and avoid the harmful effects of a year-long continuing resolution. It is our hope that Congress will approve the Bipartisan Budget Act and enact appropriations bills this year and next that increase federal investments in such vital areas as higher education and scientific research. This is the surest way to prevent an innovation deficit and ensure our nation remains the global innovation leader for years to come.
We also hope this budget deal will help lead to future bipartisan cooperation on a larger budget agreement before the two-year deal expires. The country needs an agreement that confronts our long-term fiscal challenges and allows for sufficient research and higher education investments to bolster our nation’s economic, health, and national security. We believe such an agreement should focus on entitlement reforms that protect the most vulnerable and do not undermine support for the future high-skilled workforce, and tax reforms that encourage economic growth and raise revenues.
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The Association of American Universities (AAU) is an association of 60 U.S. and two Canadian public and private research universities. It focuses on issues such as funding for research, research policy issues, and graduate and undergraduate education. AAU member universities are on the leading edge of innovation, scholarship, and solutions that contribute to the nation's economy, security, and wellbeing. AAU’s 60 U.S. universities award nearly one-half of all U.S. doctoral degrees and 55 percent of those in STEM fields.